Triple Alliance

Germany was tied one way or another to virtually every continental power.

The triple most significantly of this era was a triple alliance between Germany, Austria, Hungary and Italy.

It was it was codified on May 20th, 1882.

It provided that Germany and the Habsburg Empire would resist Italy if it was attacked by France, quote, without provocation.

In turn, Italy would assist.

Germany, if if attacked by France and in the event of a war between the Habsburg Empire and Russia, Italy declared neutrality.

Now, the ultimate ambition of this Bismarck's ambition was to bring the UK into this triple alliance.

OK.

Great Britain.

Triple alliance.

French fleet.

Complete ascendancy.

If you look at the period before World War I, World War I, of course, breaks out in 1914, August 1, 1914.

Before World War I, there were these two alliances in Europe, the Triple Entente, which included Britain, France, and Russia, and then the Triple Alliance, which was Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary.

And Austria-Hungary and Italy were not really very reliable allies.

It was really Germany against Britain, France, and Russia.

Of course, such Russian plans might not harmonize perfectly with French designs, but at least both France and Russia were in accord against Italy.

In fact, the peril was grave enough that the German Chancellor, von Hohenlohe, on February 13, 1896, warned the Italian ambassador that A naval war of Italy against Russia and France on account of Abyssinia would not be a casus foederis for the Triple Alliance.

He repeated A European war with the aim of enabling Italy to conquer Abyssinia would not be understood or receive assent either in Germany or Austria.

A day or two later, he had to reiterate The Triple Alliance is a conservative pact, not an acquisitive company.

After Italy was defeated, the German Emperor pointed out to the British ambassador how mistaken England was not to have supported Italy, in view of the threat which Franco-Russian schemes in Abyssinia might offer to the British route to India.

Although Lord Salisbury replied that he had always thought the Italian enterprise in Abyssinia a mistake, the British Cabinet presently decided, at the request of Egypt, to send a division of troops from Egypt up the Nile to Dongola, ostensibly to aid the Italians at Kassala, about 500 miles from Dongola.

British statesmen, particularly imperialist statesmen, felt as never before the disadvantages of British isolation when they found themselves in eighteen ninety-nine confronted by a disapproving world.

Joseph Chamberlain, the martyr of British imperialism, after holding conferences with the German Emperor and his foreign minister, Count von Bülow, publicly declared on November thirtieth, eighteen ninety-nine, shortly after the outbreak of war in South Africa, that England could not remain isolated.

Throughout the crisis the Great Powers, by the conferences of their ambassadors and the utterances of their statesmen, had shown their earnest desire for peace.

The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente, those two good-natured giants, both showed the same conciliatory disposition.

The balance of power between these two groups compelled them, even had they wished otherwise, to maintain a pacific attitude, while the Balkan conflagration, being thus localized, was dying out at their feet.

After so searching a test, the prospect for the future seemed bright indeed.

He claims for himself, not altogether without justice, for in his early years he might well have fallen a victim to the glamour of military laurels, the merit of having maintained the peace of Europe in spite of unwearied efforts to perfect the organization of the German army, or rather by virtue of those accessions of strength which made an attack upon it almost impossible.

This claim was accepted in all good faith by a world which failed to realize that the competition in armaments must inevitably lead to war, just as every fever that becomes acute results in a violent crisis.

Apart from the peaceful intentions of the Emperor, it was felt that the Triple Alliance, formed by Bismarck and renewed from time to time after his day, might well calm the fears of the smaller nationalities.

The old Chancellor and his successors always represented the Triplice as an insurance policy against the danger of a widespread conflagration.

For King Edward's extraordinary personal magnetism was known and feared.

He was credited with having the power, if he chose to exercise it, of seriously disturbing the foundations of the Triple Alliance.

The Kaiser need not have been uneasy.

His uncle did not enter into political conversations.

For King Edward's extraordinary personal magnetism was known and feared.

He was credited with having the power, if he chose to exercise it, of seriously disturbing the foundations of the Triple Alliance.

The Kaiser need not have been uneasy.

His uncle did not enter into political conversations.